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Meanings, Metaphor – Handspun, Handwoven in the 21st Century
An Exhibition Presented by the Registry of Sarees, Curated by Mayank Mansingh Kaul
The textiles presented here were commissioned for a series of exhibitions Khadi – The Fabric of Freedom between 2001-2002, curated by the late Martand Singh. These exhibitions were developed within a broader set of initiatives involving textile experts Rahul Jain, Rita Kapur Chishti and Rakesh Thakore, and included a study of the many cultures and technologies of cotton cultivation in India. Evoking reflections on its near and far histories, they further raised questions about the relevance of handspun and handwoven cotton fabric, qualities of which remain unique to the Indian subcontinent even today.
Almost two decades later, what does such cloth mean to us? How does it inform the aesthetics of our everyday life? And what is its place in the world? Against the background of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi this year – whose Call for Khadi led the Indian freedom movement – it may be time for us to ask about the legacy of his ideas for non-violence, ahimsa. To explore the relationship between Khadi and the changing values of the country. And perhaps, to think about the ways in which innovation in handmade textiles, continues to define an ethos for Indian as well as international contemporary art and design.
The first iteration of Meanings, Metaphor – Handspun & Handwoven in the 21st Century was presented in Chirala, Andhra Pradesh in November 2018 and in Coimbatore in January 2019.
List of Events
Daily Curatorial Walkthroughs at 6:00 PM
| 3 APRIL | ||
| 11:00AM – 1:00PM | Talk Main Auditorium |
The Khamir Story Redefining a culture from handspun wool to handspun cotton Mr Ghatit Laheru – Director – Khamir Mr Prakash Naran Vankar – Award-winning natural dyer |
| 11:00AM – 1:00PM | Workshop Conference Room 1 |
Experimental Weaving Using materials such as yarn, banana fibre, paper Ms Pragati Mathur – Textile Artist & Consultant, Special Projects – The Registry of Sarees (Registration Fee – INR 1850) |
| 3:30PM – 5:30PM | Talk Main Auditorium |
The Khamir Story Redefining a culture from handspun wool to handspun cotton Mr Ghatit Laheru – Director – Khamir Mr Prakash Naran Vankar – Award-winning Natural dyer |
| 6:00PM – 7:00PM |
Talk Main Auditorium |
A Frayed History – The Journey of Cotton in India Ms Meena Menon – Writer & Journalist |
| 7:00PM – 8:30PM |
Film Screening Main Auditorium |
‘Neeli Raag’ Ms Swati Dandekar – Film-maker |
| 4 APRIL | ||
| 11:00AM – 1:00PM | Lecture & Demonstration Main Auditorium |
The Art and Skill of Hand-spinning Mr P.N. Satish – Founder of Kora |
| 5:30PM – 6:30PM | Presentation Conference Room 1 |
Handspun Yarn & Natural Dyed Textiles of the 19th Century Dr Bessie Cecil – Textile Scholar |
| 5 APRIL | ||
| 6:00PM – 6:45PM | Conversation Main Auditorium |
Collecting Textiles – A Personal Journey Ms Lekha Poddar – Founder Devi Art Foundation with Mr Amit Jain – Head of Exhibitions, Museum of Art and Photography |
| 7:00PM – 7:45PM | Conversation Main Auditorium |
The Need for Independent Cultural Spaces Ms Malvika Singh – Publisher & Author with Mr Mayank Mansingh Kaul – Curator |
